The present invention relates to wire management racks in which there are mounted numerous relays and connectors, and, more particularly, to vertical wire guide channel members for use in such installations.
In wire management rack installations, it is quite common to have multiple racks arranged in side by side relationship and to have numerous wires and cables (collectively xe2x80x9cwiresxe2x80x9d) feeding thereinto and exiting therefrom. Generally, the larger diameter wires are cables containing many conductors and these are fed vertically in channels provided along the sides of the racks and from these channels horizontally to a termination. Some racks use U-shaped uprights at the sides of the rack to provide such channels as well as to provide frame elements on which cross members are mounted to seat the terminal blocks and relays. Because the component conductors must necessarily be routed to different vertical positions, apertures or passages must be provided in the channel forming members for them to pass through.
It will be appreciated that the channel members should not only retain and guide the wires but also provide ease of access and manipulation of the wires. Separate vertical guide members to mount on racks have been proposed in Brey et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,665,546; Lerman U.S. Pat. No. 5,586,012; and Viklund et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,902,961. However, such separate attachments have generally been somewhat cumbersome to install, or limiting as to ease of manipulation of the wires in the channel, or relatively expensive.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel vertical wire guide channel assembly which is relatively simple and economical to fabricate and easily installed on wire management racks.
It is also an object to provide such a wire guide member channel assembly which can be easily mounted between adjacent racks while permitting ready access to wires disposed in the space between the racks.
Another object is to provide such a wire guide member channel assembly which securely captures the wires within its channel by use of latch members which are easily engaged and released to facilitate access to the wires.
A further object is to provide a multiple wire rack installation using such a vertical wire guide member channel assembly.
It has now been found that the foregoing and related advantages may be readily attained in a vertical wire management guide channel assembly for use in cable management racks comprising an elongated channel member formed of wire stock with a central web portion and side portions with open spaces between spaced wire rod elements defining the web and side portions. A multiplicity of vertically spaced pairs of arms projecting outwardly of the side portions of the channel member, and each has a pair of vertically spaced horizontally extending rod elements and a vertically extending rod element between the outer ends thereof. Releasable latch members extend transversely between the vertically extending rod portions of the arms, with one end of the latch member being pivotally engaged with the rod portion on one side of the channel member, and the other end of the latch member is releasably engaged with the rod portion on the other side of the channel member. The channel member is dimensioned to permit wires to be seated therein and extend vertically thereof and to exit and enter through the spaces between the wire rods defining the web and side portions. The latch members are readily releasable and pivotable into a channel opening position to facilitate access to and movement of wires in the channel member.
Preferably, the channel member also has U-shaped rod elements spaced vertically along the length thereof, and elongated rod elements extending vertically along the length of the side and web portions, which preferably are formed by three laterally spaced rod elements. Desirably, the pairs of arms are provided by U-shaped members defined by vertically spaced, parallel rod elements having a web portion extending across the web portion of the channel member and arm portions extending along the side portions of the channel member and outwardly therefrom with a connecting portion between the outer ends thereof. The rod elements of the U-shaped members are secured to the rod elements of the channel members at their points of contact.
The assembly includes attachment means spaced vertically along the length of the web portion of the channel member and engaged therewith, and the attachment means is engaged with the uprights of the wire management rack. Preferably, the attachment means includes a first member having a body portion extending across the web portion of the channel member and flange portions engageable with rod elements of the channel member. Fasteners extend through apertures in the body portion for engagement with the uprights, and a second member of generally L-shaped configuration has a body portion engaged with the body portion of the first member and a flange portion engageable with an upright.
The assembly is used in a wire management rack installation provided by a pair of horizontally spaced wire management racks each having a pair of horizontally spaced, vertically extending uprights and vertically spaced horizontally extending rails therebetween. The vertical wire management guide channel assembly extends between and is secured to the adjacent uprights of the pair of cable management racks.